


The Little Apprentice

by distant_rose



Series: Little Pirates [32]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Because this universe was established like a year and a half and I'm not changing it, Bullying, F/M, Kids dealing with bullies, No Hope sorry, Where Neddy is a poor child, Why am I still writing this series, and Beth is both an amazing and terrible older sister
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 08:14:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16301408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/distant_rose/pseuds/distant_rose
Summary: In which, little Neddy Jones deals with bullying and his older sister Beth teaches gives him a little help. Meanwhile Emma just wishes the principal would stop calling her every week and that her kids would just behave.





	The Little Apprentice

**Author's Note:**

> A response to a Tumblr prompt: "Can you write a Little Pirates story about Neddy and Beth’s relationship as kids? Maybe her helping him with baseball?" To which, I respond :Beth wouldn’t help him with baseball. She would help him with other things…like beating the crap out of bullies." I haven’t written for Little Pirates in awhile…well, forever, but I couldn’t resist this prompt. I’ve got like two other things in the big old brain coming for this series in the future. Hopefully, I can put out a story every week or two if people are still interested in the Little Pirates universe. Just a reference for the timeline, Ned is 7, Beth is 12, Wes is 14, Harrison is 16 and Henry is 31.

The front door opens and Neddy Jones sags against the couch, hoping not to be noticed. It’s been a terrible, horriable day and the last thing he needs is his parents and siblings freaking out about the fact he got into a fight with another kid after school…and lost.

His anxiety skyrockets as footsteps sound across the wooden floors from the hallway into the family room. He hides his face under the throw blanket, hoping to hide the evidence.

“What are you doing, you weirdo?” 

Neddy peaks up from his nest to meet the eyes of his older sister. Beth stares at him, eyebrow perfectly arched, and hands placed on her hands. It’s an odd combination of both of their parents; the features and stance of their mother and the personality and quirks of their father.

As soon as he does it, he realizes his mistake as Beth’s eyes go wide at the motley array of bruises on his face. This is it. This is the fireworks that he’s been dreading. She’s going to fuss and yell at him and then she’s going to tell their mother and he’s going to be grounded forever.

“Please tell me the other kid looks worse.”

Neddy blinks. It’s not the response he’s expecting. “What?”

“You got into a fight, no? Are did you just fall out of a tree again?” Her tone is casual, not even a hint of concern. She’s not upset, just curious. 

He doesn’t know how to respond to it. He gapes at her, trying to find words but nothing comes out. Beth lets out an impatient noise. Her expression changes from curious to irritated.

“Oh jeez, did they knock your wits out too?”

“No!”

“Then answer the question. How does the other guy look?”

“Ummmm…I think I got him once or twice.”

“Just once or twice? So, he doesn’t have the panda eye thing going on like you do?” Her eyebrow rises higher on her forehead and she crosses her arms in front of her chest. It’s very clear that she’s completely unimpressed with him.

“He was older than me!”

“So?”

“So, he was bigger and tougher and stronger! He was a big scary kid!”

Her other eyebrow raises, joining its twin at her hairline. The corner of her lips twitch at the defensive tone of his voice. She’s not buying what he’s selling. 

“I fail to see why you got your face beat in and he didn’t,” she drawls.

“Ugh, because he was bigger and stronger than me, and because he’s ten and I’m like seven.”

“Seven and a half,” she responds with a snort. “Isn’t that what you’ve been saying lately? That you’re seven and a half? Or are you now just seven because you got your ass beat.”

Neddy glares at her, his face turning red. Even the tips of his ears grow hot with the magnitude of his embarrassment. A part of him wants to throw something at her while the other half wants to crawl under the blankets and hide for the rest of his life.

“It was Justin Travel.”

“I really don’t care who it was,” she responds. “What I care about is that my little brother is a little wimp and apparently can’t throw a punch.”

“Justin. Is. Ten.” He hisses at her. “And I’m not a wimp!”

“And you’re seven and a half,” Beth repeats, rolling her eyes. “I was six when I kicked Neal’s butt. I was even younger than that when I kicked Harrison’s butt. Not that it was hard…he’s a bigger wimp than even you.”

“I’m not you!”

“Well, that’s for damn sure. I never sat around and moped if someone hit me. I would crush them. Because no one hits me and gets away with it.”

It’s this moment that Neddy remembers his sister is an absolute legend in the kid world. She is smaller and skinnier than his brothers but her name is the one spoken with some degree of reverence and fear. Every kid knows what happens when you mess with Beth Jones. The story of her kicking Jamie Whale in the nuts and getting away with it is a popular one told on the monkey bars. Most of the girls in his grade want to be her while the majority of the boys in his grade cover their privates at the sight of her. His sister is a scary person.

A light bulb goes off in his head as he recalls all of the rumors and stories of his sister’s fighting prowess. If anyone could put the fear of God into Justin Travel, it’s Beth.

“I’m not as good as a fighter as you,” he says after a moment, lip trembling and eyes wide as he gives her his patent puppy dog look that usually works on their mother. “Can you help me?”

The puppy look completely fails. Her unimpressed expression doesn’t change for a moment. “I’m not sure you’re worth helping.”

“Please Beth, please! There’s no one tougher than you. Not Wes. Not Har. Not even Neal.”

A tiny smirk crawls across her face.

“It’s true. I am the toughest,” she replies, bringing her hand up so she can inspect the state of her nails. “I just don’t know what’s in it for me…I mean, I would help you for free but that would ruin my reputation, you know?”

Neddy immediately wracks his brain for a suitable price. He knows that she doesn’t care much for the same things he does; baseball cards and bubble gum just don’t seem to interest her. He contemplates giving up his television time for a week, but the Yankees are about to play the Red Sox. Playoffs are about to start, and he really wants to see his team win. He wants to see Aaron Judge hit five home runs. It’s too costly of a price.

“What chores do you have this week?” he asks.

The smirk grows.

“Picking up dog poop in the background, taking out the trash and cleaning the toilets.”

He can’t help but make a face at the list. They’re the grossest and smelliest chores. Normally he doesn’t get them because he’s the youngest and those are seen as big kid chores. He lets out a sigh, knowing that this is the price he’s going to pay for his sister to kick Justin’s butt.

“I’ll do them for you. Just this week. Nothing more.”

She studies him for a moment, looking for a hint of weakness. Neddy squirms under her gaze, trying very hard not to freak out. He wonders if she’ll ask for more and prays she doesn’t think of taking his television time. He’ll give her his twenty-dollar allowance before he gives her his television time. A minute passes and it feels like a billion years before Beth speaks.

“Okay. Deal. I’ll help you.”

He practically leaps off the couch in his excitement, the grin on his face so wide that it hurts. Beth looks amused by his excitement, snickering at the bouncy dance he does in response to her agreement to help.

“Yes! Thank you! You’re the best!” He does an awkward jump over the coffee table and hugs her around the middle, burying his face in her sternum.

“Oh, I know. But don’t thank me yet. I haven’t done anything yet and you might regret this when I’m done.”

“How could I possibly regret you beating the snot out of Justin Travel?” He asks, laughing.

“Probably because I’m not going to beat the snot out of Justin Travel.”

All the happiness he felt before dies as she says these words. Immediately, he pushes away from her and looks up at her with an expression caught between stunned and outraged.

“What do you mean you’re not gonna beat up Justin Travel!? You said you were going to help!”

“Yeah. I said I was going to help and beating up a ten-year old is not how I’m going to help you. That doesn’t solve your problems,” she replies, crossing her arms again.

“It sounds like it to me.”

“That’s because you’re a moron little kid. Listen, Bug, I don’t beat up kids younger than me. It’s kinda lame honestly. And having your big sister clean up your messes for you doesn’t solve anything. We’re Joneses, buddy, and we don’t let people do our jobs for us. If you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself.”

“So, how are you going to help me?” He asks impatiently.

The grin on her face grows wilder and she looks at him the same way their dog looks at the squirrels in the background. He’s starting to regret his decision to ask for her help.

“Simple. I’m going to teach you to fight.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“By making you fight me.”

He almost dodges the sucker punch she throws at him. Almost.

* * *

Her cell phone rings and Emma Swan knows the her quiet and tranquil week is coming to an end. It’s been too good lately. Storybrooke’s citizens were behaving, the only thing she’s had to do paperwork on is the annual budget which isn’t due for another few weeks and her kids for once haven’t been getting into trouble. 

“This is Sheriff Swan.”

“Hello Sheriff Swan, it’s Principal Pratt from Storybrooke Elementary.”

Emma can’t stop the loud exhale of breath that leaves her. Of course, it’s the principal. The same principal that has been calling her nonstop on an almost weekly basis for the past seven years. She closes her eyes, rubbing her temples.

“What did my daughter do this time, Marie?” She asks an exasperation.

“I’m actually not calling about Elizabeth. She’s actually been having a good week. Hasn’t made anyone cry yet but then again, it’s only twelve-thirty.”

“Okay, then how can I help you?”

“Well, your youngest is sitting outside my office right now. He got into a fight with an older student. I’m going to need you to come down, so we can have a chat.”

Emma blinks, pulling the phone away from her ear and staring at it for a bit. Much like her two oldest boys, Neddy’s a bit on the reserved side. He is more into hitting baseballs and climbing trees than getting into schoolyard fights.

“We’re talking about Neddy? My Neddy? Neddy’s fighting?”

“That’s correct, Sheriff Swan.”

“You sure it’s Neddy. And not Beth?”

“I can assure you, Sheriff Swan, that I can tell a boy from a girl and I could pick your children out of any lineup with the amount of times they’ve been in my office. It’s Neddy alright.”

“Huh.”

“I’m assuming since you’re answering your phone that you’re not tied up in any official business?”

“No. I’ll head over. I’m technically on my lunch break.”

“I’ll see you in ten.”

Pulling on her leather jacket, Emma contemplates texting her husband about this surprising development. He’s officially on patrol with her father but that means that they’re both parked in their favorite booth at Granny’s, eating the lunch special and gossiping like old women. Not wanting to make a bigger deal out of the situation than it already is, she decides to wait until after meeting with Principal Pratt and her son to let Killian know about the situation.

It takes her eight minutes to get from the police station to the elementary school. It’s a trip she’s done so many times in her life that she can do it completely on autopilot. As she pulled into the visitor’s parking spot, she couldn’t help but think about the first time she came to the school twenty years ago to talk to her mother about Henry using her credit card. Those days seem much simpler than now. Henry had been a mischievous kid but he never got into fights, tried to start an underground trading card ring or made the toilets explode. She almost misses those days.

The principal’s office hasn’t changed over the years. It still looks like its stuck in the 1950s with a burnt orange rug and computers older than Emma. The only thing new is the kid sitting in the plastic seat in front of Principal Pratt’s office.

Neddy doesn’t look like he’s been in a fight. There isn’t a single bump, bruise or scratch on him. If anything, he looks like he won the lottery with a big goofy grin on his face and his leg swinging merrily. When he spots her, he gives her an enthusiastic wave.

“Hi Mom!”

It’s a disorienting sight and Emma almost backpaddles at the sense of wrongness. It’s the wrong kid and the wrong attitude sitting in front of the principal’s office right now and she doesn’t know how to handle it.

“Hi kid…you okay?”

“Yeah! I got into a fight with Justin Travel and won! It was awesome!”

Emma fights the urge to pull her hair out. 

“Why on God’s green earth are you fighting people? We don’t fight people in this family!”

Her son blinks, giving her a confused look. It’s the same expression their dog gave them when they were house training him. 

“Umm….Everyone in our family fights. You and Dad and Grandpa David and Henry fight bad guys all the time. Har fights bad guys in football. Wes fights bad guys in soccer. And Beth fights everyone. That’s what I was doing. Fighting a bad guy.”

Emma makes an exasperated noise at his response, feeling like the worst parent in existence. She’s a terrible mom and the fact the principal has her on speed dial is more than enough proof of that.  Looking at her watch, she decides it’s way too early to get a drink and drown in her bad parenting woes. It’s time to set the record straight.

“Listen, Bug, kids can’t be bad guys…and you shouldn’t be fighting. None of you should be fighting. Fighting is bad! You hurt someone! You could have been hurt yourself! I never want to see you fighting anyone! Do you understand me?”

Neddy seems to wilt under her admonishment, head drooping forward and shoulders sagging. His feet stop swinging and he starts tapping his shoe nervously against the ground. Sitting in front of the principal’s office is very much a Wes and Beth thing but she sees so much of Henry and Harrison in this display of guilt. 

“I’m sorry…” He mumbles, raking his hands through his mane of black curls. “It’s just he’s a big bully and he’s mean and he’s been trying to hurt me forever and today, I actually hit him back. I actually hurt him and I thought I finally showed him not to bother me anymore…”

Her heart breaks at his words and immediately she sits down next to him, pulling him into her lap and brushing her hands through his hair. Again, she feels like the worst mom in the universe. She had not idea that he was dealing with bullying problems.

“He’s been trying to hurt you, huh?”

“Yeah. Ever since baseball season when I hit a home run against his team…He comes after me on the playground.”

“Why didn’t you say anything, Bug?”

He shrugs his shoulders, not saying anything. Emma just continues to stroke his hair while she waits for a response. When it doesn’t come, she sighs again.

“Listen, I know you’ve seen me and your dad and your grandparents fight people but that’s only because we have to. It’s never our first solution. It’s the final alternative and not something we enjoy…We fight when we have no other choice…as for your siblings…well, they’re a work-in-progress just like you are but there are so many other ways to solve your problems without fighting. You hear me?”

He nods silently.

“Good,” she kisses the crown his head, closing her eyes. “Now, if you deal with anymore problems with your classmates, you talk to me and you talk to your dad. You hear me?”

“Yeah…”

“Good.” She cups his cheek, offering him the smallest of smiles. “Now, let’s go talk to Principal Pratt and see if we can keep you from getting suspended.”

Principal Pratt is understandably stern and hard to persuade; something Emma understands considering the various shenanigans she’s witnessed over the years from Emma’s other children. It certainly doesn’t help that Neddy gave the other kid a black eye and a split lip that required a few stitches. However, she agrees to not to suspend her son but instead take away his recess privileges for a week. Where Beth or Wes would have rail against the decision, Neddy takes his punishment in stride and Emma can’t help but be proud of him for that.

It’s not until after dinner that Emma discovers just exactly how her seven-year old learned to fight. She’s folding laundry in the kitchen when she overhears a conversation between her youngest son and her daughter.

“So, did you make Justin eat dirt?”

“Yep!”

“Excellent,” Beth crows, sounding delighted by the prospect of her little brother beating the snot out of another kid. “Did you use the headlock I showed you?”

“Of course, I did! If it can take down Harrison, it can take down anyone!”

“I’m so proud of you, my little apprentice. Next week, I’ll teach you how to ambush people from behind.”


End file.
